


Postal Distress

by escott99



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Depressed Clarke, F/F, F/M, Kidnapping, Single Parent Lexa, Unresolved Sexual Tension, perve finn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-09-23
Packaged: 2018-06-09 23:12:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6928087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/escott99/pseuds/escott99
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke gets a brochure  in the mail to go to a twelve year old boys lacrosse camp. But she's a 25 year old girl,what? What happens when she returns the mail, she accidentally opened, to her hot new neighbor? </p><p>Or the I-accidentally-opened-your-mail-AU  No one asked for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've go this stuck in my head a couple of days ago when I accidentally opened a letter that was addressed to my neighbor but delivered to me. I hope you enjoy! Please R&R!

Clarke POV

This fucking sucks.

 

That was all I could think as I slammed the hood of my ‘95 Ford Escort. It was the third time in five weeks that the transmission has gone out, and i’m starting to think that my mom was right. I should’ve invested in a new car instead of getting a new appartment. It wasn’t her fault that Raven and Octavia’s constant fucking and make out sessions were becoming too much to handle. And on top of the sex, neither of them had the guts to take the next step it was an endless cycle, have sex, get akward, hate each other, make up, then start all over again. But right now I would rather be dealing with them than calling my annoying creep of a man she calls her boss. 

“Well just stay there I’ll come get you, so you don’t have to walk.” Finn says in his still creepy voice. He did this the other two times the car broke down, as if his eye raping me every day at the coffee shop wasn’t bad enough, now he wants to come pick me up at my apartment building so he can know where I live. Yea like i'm gonna let that happen.

“No Finn. I’m fine. I’m leaving right now i’ll be there in twenty minutes. Thanks!” I finished the call before he could even finish his thought. I pulled up my recent calls right after I hung up with him. When I found Ravens contact I was already a block away from my house. It rang six times before it went to voicemail.

“Hey Rae, sorry for calling but the car broke down again if you could have wick pick it up that would be great. I promise to bring you coffee one day next week. Thanks babe. Talk to you after work!” Once I hung up I was only about five minutes away. I was really starting to hate my job, not just because of my boss but because I was tired of wearing the outfit that  was obviously too small and was just used to show off cleavage, and the crappy hours, and the shitty customers that look at me like i'm their slave or something. I’m just tired in general.

As always my shift went by slower than I thought possible but on the bright side Finn only “accidentally” touched my ass once, and when I was leaving Octavia was parked out front waiting to give me a ride home (Although she was more interested in talking about whatever it was she did this time.) When we reached my new building  I thanked Octavia, and made my way through the lobby to the small room next to the elevators that held the mailboxes for all of the residents. It has taken me about a week to get in the habit of checking  it everyday, at my old place the mail was delivered straight to the house, but living in a twelve story building they just have boxes. Once I had my mail I made my way back to the elevators, when the doors finally opened  I was able to get straight on due to the absence of people in the elevator. 

After the three minute ride to the seventh floor, I made my way to the back side of the building where my apartment was. As soon as I was in the room I collapsed onto my couch, dropping my mail on the coffee table. I sat there in silence for at least twenty minutes just resting from being on my feet all day, feeling so happy that today was Friday and that I had the entire weekend off. When I finally had the energy to make my way to my bedroom I was met with the sudden realization that I would be spending all of tomorrow doing laundry. When I had my work clothes off I hopped into the shower trying to get the smell of coffee out of my hair. 

I probably spent longer than necessary in the shower but my legs needed shaved and they weren’t going to do it themselves. When I was dressed in a much comfier outfit I made my way back to my living area with my checkbook, I knew  that most of these envelopes were bills so I sat down with my glasses and started to open the first one when I saw it was a lacrosse brochure. 

“What the hell.” Was all I could say before I turned the envelope around to see it was addressed to an Aden Woods. The address was the apartment right next door, 725, not mine, 723. So out of pure instinct she flips all of the envelopes over to see that three more have the wrong address. So I walked over to my closet slid my pink slippers on and made my way to the door with the letters, before making my way to the door down the hall. When I reached the door I wasn’t even thinking about what I was wearing or what I would say, I just raised my hand and knocked. It was barely ten seconds when the door swung open and a visibly tired woman was standing in front of her with wild brown hair and a piece of pizza hanging out of her mouth.

“About damn time you…” She started to become angry but stopped when she realized that I was not who she thought I was. “I’m sorry I’ve been waiting for someone. How can I help you?” She asks smoothing out her hair as she blushes. Wow this girl is freaking beautiful.

“Um, Oh yea, here.”I say handing her the mail “Sorry about the one, I’ve had a long day and it was in my mailbox. I thought it was mine.” Shut up Griffin! Shut up! “I’m sorry my name is Clarke I’m your new neighbor. I ended up with some of your mail. So yea. Bye” I say giving a slight nod before heading back to my apartment and picking up my phone, dialing raven’s number. 

“Hey, Rae! I need you stat. I just saw the most beautiful person ever.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa gets to know Clarke and we get to meet Lexa's little family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is just for your reference, but here are all the characters ages so far.  
> Lexa- 27  
> Aden-8  
> Clarke-24   
> Anya-29

**Lexa POV**

“Woah’  Was all I could say as I shut the door to the apartment. What in the hell just happened. I knew someone had moved in next door I just figured it was another old person, almost everyone who lived in this building was over the age of 55 I only knew one other person who was around my age and that was the poor boy with down syndrome who lives with his grandmother on floor three. Plus not only was this girl young she was hot. I was looking through the mail I made my way back to the living room where Aden was perched on the back of the sofa.

“Aden! You know you’re not allowed to sit on the back of the furniture. And you’ve got a letter from that camp you want to go to this summer.” He shot up when he heard me talk about the camp. He has wanted to play lacrosse for three years now but, like any normal parent, I did not want my seven year old playing a contact sport. So when  Anya dropped him off last Saturday with a brochure for this camp that taught you the basics without contact I didn’t really have a reason to say no. 

“Awesome!” he said as he sat back down at the diner table “When is Auntie Anya getting here?” My sister was really starting to influence him, he’s becoming more and more sarcastic and impatient. Which is very funny because Anya is never on time. But just as he was getting up to go check the window again someone barged through the door.

“Sorry I’m late.”she said as she dropped two bags of chips on the table. “Some jackass in a tow truck was parked in front of the parking garage waiting for someone else to roll out this piece of shit Ford sedan.” I shot her a look as she finished the sentence, which of course caused Aden to giggle. 

“Anya please watch your language, I don’t need him repeating that at school.” She basically ignored my entire sentence as she found the pizza and plopped down next to Aden on the couch.

“So what movie are we watching tonight?” She asked aden from as I made my way into the living room with the rest of the food.

“Ant-Man!” He squealed as we got set up on the couch. When the movie ended I sent Aden to his room so he could pack his bag, but as soon as he was out of earshot I pulled Anya to the side.

“What do you want?” She asked in a slightly annoyed tone. “If you’re going to give me another lecture on how I shouldn’t leave your kid in bowling alley bathrooms, then save it because we aren’t going bowling tomorrow.” All I could do is shake my head at the comment.

“No. I, um. I met a girl.” I had a hard time getting that one pathetic sentence out of my mouth. I regretted saying anything the moment her eyes flew open and she started making inaudible sounds. “Hold on Anya. I don’t even know her name.

“What? “The expression on her face changed from excited to freaking confused in a split second. What do you mean?”

“Well, ok. Her name is Clarke and she is my new neighbor. She came by earlier because she got some of our mail and opened it on accident.” with that Anya busted into a fit of laughter. “Hey! What’s so funny?”

“You didn’t “Meet” a girl you saw one there is a difference.” she says as her laughter tapers off and Aden walks back into the room. “Now if you don’t mind i’m gonna take this kid to a titty bar.” At first I almost yelled after her but I decided it wasn’t worth it. The last thing she heard as she closed the door was my son asking my sister what a titty bar was. 

As I made my way back into my apartment I checked my watch to see that it was going on 9:30 and, as pathetic as it sounds for a twenty seven year old, I was ready for bed. I crawled in on the right side of the bed, and looked at the picture frame sitting on the bedside table, it was of two women and a two year old boy. Both girls looked so happy and carefree as they walked towards the camera, swinging the boy in between them. The boardwalk extending behind them as the ocean breeze whipped their hair around. It was the first and last vacation Costia, Aden, and I took as a family. She died four months after the vacation from terminal brain cancer, that they discovered just two months before she died. It was Aden’s birthday. He had just turned three. It’s been five years since the funeral and I still don’t go a day without missing her.

“I miss you Cos.” Was all I said, just like every night for the past five years, as I turned around to try and go to sleep, but sleep didn’t come easy, tht girl tht I had met for twenty seconds was burned into my head, her blue eyes were such a pure shade of blue it was hard to ignore but still my exhaustion caught up with me and I finally drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning it was due to a loud thud coming from the other side of the wall. I turned over to see that it was almost 10:30, I never got that much sleep Aden could never sleep in past 7 unless he is with Anya where he evidently sleeps until noon most of the time. I was sitting up and getting ready to take a shower when I heard another thud, accompanied with a “Fucking A!” I could tell it was Clarke from the sound of the voice,even though our conversation was short I would still recognize her voice anywhere.

Once I got out of the shower I realized that almost all of my clothes were in my dirty hamper the same went for Aden’s. So I threw on my last clean pair of sweatpants and a fairly clean looking hoodie, grabbed both bags of laundry, my laptop, and headed for the elevator.  The ride to the basement took about 5 minutes, and when the doors opened I was met with an unfamiliar hum of water rushing through pipes. In the six years I had lived in this building I have never seen another person down here, most people install their own washer and dryer, but I never saw the need. Plus coming down here helps me write. I was drawn from my thoughts when I saw the flash of blonde hair.

After about three minutes of staring at my new neighbor, who had not noticed me due to her headphones that were firmly placed in her ears, my arms started to hurt from the two full bags of laundry. So I made my way over to the only other unoccupied washer which was directly across from the blonde and dropped the bags on the metal table that connected the two machines. The bag’s impact on the table was much louder than I expected and must’ve startled the blonde because she turned around so fast that she fell off the machine she was sitting on.

“Well don’t we have the strangest ways of meeting?” She asks rhetorically as I extend my hand to help her up.

“I guess you could say that.” I say with a soft chuckle “I didn’t mean to scare you, These bags are just a lot heavier than I thought.” She was wearing basically the same outfit as me but her sweatshirt read “Georgetown university.” Once she was back on her feet she took a second to regain her composure before speaking again. 

“Do you think we could try this again?” She asked still slightly embarrassed about the events that had just occurred. I give her a slight nod as she extends her hand for me to shake. “Hi. My name is Clarke Griffin and i’m your new neighbor.” She says with a confident smirk on her face. 

“Nice to meet you Clarke.” I say as I shake her hand, her super soft hand. Oh god i’m so screwed. “I’m Lexa Woods.” I say as we release each other’s grasp. As soon as our hands are released she returns to her spot on top of the washer, and I turn to load the one behind me.

When I have all of my laundry was loaded  loaded, I pulled myself up onto the dryer that was not running, sat with my legs crossed and my laptop on my lap. When I was all situated I slid my glasses up my nose and started to work. It didn’t take long to get distracted though as the blonde across from me started to hum along to whatever was playing on her phone. Of course with my luck it just then that she decided to look over and catch me staring. 

“I was singing wasn’t I?” She asked as she blushed and took her ear phones out. I simply shook my head in response.

“No. Only humming. It wasn’t bad. It was just cute.”Whoops! Damit Lexa! You can’t keep your mouth shut for ten seconds can you.

“Oh, well thanks.” Was all she said with a huge blush on her face. “You do too. I mean look cute. With your glasses on and… I’m sorry we are just two of the most awkward people aren’t we?” Her rambling only intensified her cuteness and man was it killing me.

“So what are you writing?”She asked after a moment of awkward silence. 

“Oh, I write a weekly column for the Washington Post. “So usually I write about economics or why the Wizards should try to get Kevin Durant. But recently I found out that the Mount Weather Pharmaceutical corporation has been sitting on the cure for certain types of cancers. So I’ve kinda started to analyze why the CEO and his son are such terrible people.” When I finished my rant I saw that her expression changed quite drastically. I really should’ve just replied with ‘Oh it’s nothing.’ But I was pulled from my thoughts when she spoke again.

“My dad died of cancer.”  Was all she said. 

“I had a really good friend who did as well.” Good play Lexa. Avoid the ‘I’m a widow’ card. “That’s why i’m writing this. To hopefully spread the word and flush them out.” I flashed her a sad smile and received one back. The next hour was spent in a comfortable silence, which neither of us broke until we were back up to our floor. 

“Lexa,” My stomach did cartwheels when she said my name. “I really enjoyed this morning, more than I usually do when I have to do laundry anyway.” We both chuckle at the last part before she continues. “But I was wondering if you would like to get coffee sometime?” I can tell by the tone of her voice that she was nervous. And just I was about to open my mouth I ear the elevator door open and a little boy squeal. 

“Momma!” As he ran my way with Anya following closely behind him. So before I had time to respond to Clarke I crouched down and enveloped him in a hug.

“Hey buddy! Did you have fun with auntie Anya?” As he rambled on and on about the weird looking man they saw at the mall this morning, I turned to Clarke with a sharpie I had in my pocket and scribbled my phone number on her hand before mouthing ‘Text me.’ I hadn’t even dropped the laundry in the apartment when Anya started. 

“So who’s Blondie?” She asks in her typical ‘I’m your older sister I’m going to interrogate you’ tone.

“She’s a friend. Who lives next door.” I can see the grin spread across her face, so before she can ask an extremely inappropriate question I cut her off. “And before you ask, no we did not sleep together we just happened to be doing laundry together.”

“Is  that what you kids are calling it nowadays?” she asks with the same stupid smirk.

“Ok, I get it. I’m gonna leave. Besides I’ve got a hot date tonight. See ya kid.”she yells as she makes her way to the door. The rest of the day is quiet, Aden does his homework and watches Super Hero Squad while I work and tidy up the house. When it’s time for bed and Aden is asleep I crawl into bed like I always do, but today I don’t miss Costia in the same, painful way. It’s an ‘I have something I want to tell you’ type thing. And for the first time in five years I think that I might be able to move on.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke freaks out and has a heart to heart with Raven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I'm back and I think i'm able to do this now. After I got back from camp I had zero inspiration to write, but I started reading more and more over the last week and today something clicked. So here I am, back at it. Hope you enjoy.

**Clarke POV**

 

Ok it’s been 25 hours, 34 minutes and approximately 41 seconds since she handed me her number outside our apartments, I was struggling with the whole “48 hour” rule. Is that a thing still? Was that ever a thing for lesbians? Was she even a lesbian? I mean she gave me her number so she's not straight, right? But she has a kid, and in order to have a kid you kind of need a penis. So is she bi? Is she straight? Was the entire encounter simply platonic? I’m going crazy, i’m probably going to burn a hole in a carpet from all of the pacing. 

Eventually when I was calm enough to think logically I decided that I needed someone who was more experienced with women so I decided to call Raven over, and the only way I could get her to agree was if I ordered pizza and provided beer. So thirty minutes later we were sitting on my couch with pizza and beer and a very happy go lucky Raven.

“Well do you like her?” Her question seemed super stupid at the time but, it made me think, did I actually like her? I didn’t know much about her other than the fact that she is a writer and has a kid. But getting to know each other is what the offer of coffee was for, right? 

“From what I know, yes.” It was a weird response but it was true.

“So what do you know?” 

“Well she’s a mom, has a sister who was watching her kid, is a writer, and has lost someone to cancer as well.” Raven gave a small nod as she digested the last part.When we were growing up Raven and I were always at each others houses playing, hanging out, or just goofing off. During that time raven started to look up to my father because she had never known her and her mom never re-married.  On top of that Raven had always wanted to be an engineer  and that is what my dad did for a living. They always shared a bond, so she was just as grief stricken when he died as I was. “But she just has this draw, it’s like she hit me with a harpoon and is pulling me towards her.”

“So then text her! If you like someone don’t be afraid to go get them.” she was calm but it had a lot of emotion behind it, probably because she was talking more to herself than to me.

“Ok, but you should too. You and O can’t keep stringing each other along like it’s a game you are playing now. It’s not fair to either of you.” She sighed as she stood up with the now empty pizza box and headed towards the kitchen. Once there she started to gather her stuff before making her way towards the door. “Rae. Please talk to her. I really hate seeing you and her hurt each other. It sucks.” Her face was blank for a second before it dropped into a frown. 

“I’ll think about it.” Was all she said as she made her way out the door. “By the way I brought your mail up for you.” I thought about asking how she got into my mailbox but I decided not to. So instead I just sighed as she left knowing she probably won’t go and talk to Octavia, they will probably just ignore each other for a week, then go back to their stupid ass schedule. When I was sure Raven was gone I plopped back onto my sofa and pulled up the number that is now saved in my phone.

 

 **To** **Lexa-** Hey Lexa, this is Clarke. I was just wondering if you would like to get coffee sometime? 

 

My heart stopped right after it sent. The text bubble was blue so she has an Iphone, that’s nice to know. As I was processing the info three dots started to dance at the bottom of the screen, then it happened, the message dinged and the words appeared.

 

**From Lexa-** Yea I would love to! :) How about tomorrow at 9:30?

 

**To Lexa-** sure that works for me. See you tomorrow!

 

And with that last text my nerves were silenced for all of 45 seconds before I started to worry about tomorrow. What am I going to wear? It’s just coffee so casual, but not super casual because I don’t want to make a bad impression. So eventually after hours of inner debate about what to wear, I finally decided on my black leggings and my white and black striped fuzzy sweater. I had just sat down and looked at the clock when I realized two things. One, was that I had been trying on outfits for six hours and it was now eight at night and two was that I was in so deep. I had just met the girl and I was already freaking out over her.

I walked out of my bedroom for time first time in hours had been to get something to eat when I noticed that my mail was sitting on my counter where Raven left it. As I flipped through the envelopes I noticed that some of them were marked to the wrong address again. So I slid my feet into  my pink fuzzy slippers and padded off down the hallway towards Lexa’s apartment. When I reached her door I stopped for a second before knocking. It took a second before the door opened but instead of the beautiful brunette I was expecting it was the the little boy from earlier, the one who I presume is Lexa’s son. 

“Can I help you mam?” His voice was filled with confidence even though he looked to be no older than ten, he was trying to act so mature I almost giggled. 

“Yes you can little man. Can you give this to your momma for me?” I said as I handed him the envelopes. I was quite proud  that I remembered the endearing term he had used earlier that day. With that he took off running, envelopes waving above his head. 

“Momma! The mail lady brought you mail again.” I couldn’t stop myself from laughing as he yelled through the apartment. I could hear them talking and Lexa questioning him about what he meant before she gave up and started to make her way to the door. As she rounded the corner to the foyer her eyes lit up with that ‘oh’ face that people make when they figure something out. 

“I’m sorry about him. He’s a bit hyper today for some reason.”She said as she pulled her sweater tighter around her body. She looked adorable with her hair up in a messy bun and in her comfy clothes.

“Oh don’t worry about it. He’s adorable by the way. How old is he?” I ask, genuinely curious.

“He just turned eight about a month ago.” She said as she peaked over her shoulder to see the boy who had just reclaimed his spot on the sofa in front of the TV.

“Well it was nice talking to you guys but I have to get some sleep because I have a hot date in the morning” I said without thinking before I winked and turned around and walked away. The only thing in my head as I walked into my apartment were those pools of emerald green.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have a real concern about something none of you want to hear, but I think our fandom is dying. After J-Roth killed Lexa it pushed a lot of people into writing to keep her alive but I have noticed that Authors I follow and me included are having a harder time writing about her as her time on the 100 floats further away. Maybe it's just me, but I really don't think so because i'm losing the stories that were keeping me inspired almost daily. Anyway, thanks and please let me know your opinions on both the story and my theory. Until next time


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa and Clarke go for coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that it took me so long to update I just get in these moods where the last thing I want to do is write but here it is!

**Lexa POV**

I didn’t even hear the knock at the door let alone Aden opening it, so when he came running into my office yelling something about the mail lady I was utterly confused, his responses to my questions were basically non existent, but it was all cleared up as he handed me the envelopes and I saw the blonde leaning in the doorway with a grin on her face. 

“I’m sorry about him. He’s super hyper today for some reason.” Except I knew exactly why, Anya gave him caffeine and candy right before she dropped him off, she always does. It’s not like I could do anything about it, he loves her and she is finally in a good place after years of fighting and mental torture Anya has finally made a full recovery after her two full tours in the Middle East, and the tour that was cut short by an IED. It has been 2 years but I know that she is finally starting to get better, the drinking has stopped and she responds to calls and texts when you try to reach her. It took me a while to be comfortable with her taking Aden but the last month he has had nothing but fun when hanging out with her, and I think she does to. I know she felt bad for missing his birth and Costia’ s death due to being on tour but I keep telling her ‘Be there for him now.’ and she has which makes not regret anything. At the thought of the two I feel my lips tug upwards in a smile as I pull my sweater tighter around my body. I was pulled from my thoughts when the blonde spoke again.

“Oh don’t worry about it. He’s adorable by the way. How old is he?” she asks, the genuineness of her question flows out of the small smile she is wearing. Just as I was about to answer I catch her eyes wandering up and down my body. I could feel the blush start to travel up my cheeks so I decided to answer and nonchalantly glance back towards Aden.

“He just turned eight about a month ago.” I say as I glance at the boy who is sitting up on the couch watching whatever show he was into now. As I turned back around I noticed her smile It was so simple but the way her lips curled up into a smile that radiated through her entire face, before she spoke again. 

“Well it was nice talking to you guys but I have to get some sleep because I have a hot date in the morning” Her sudden confidence caught me off guard, at first I felt a little jealous but then I realized she was talking about me. But before I could read to much more into it she threw me a wink before turning around and walking back to her apartment. 

\------------

The air was cool this morning. It was mid April, and the air still had a cool bite to it every time you stepped out the door. The drive to drop off Aden at school only took about 10 minutes, seeing that both the school and our apartment building were on the quieter side of town. He got out of the car with his bag, saying bye, before he took off towards the school, chatting with other students he obviously knew. I looked down at the clock to realize it was only 8:15 and I still had an hour before I was going to meet Clarke at the coffee shop a couple of blocks down the road from our building. So I decided I was going to stop back home and get ready before going to meet her.

When I arrived at the coffee shop I looked down at the phone in my hand to check the time and saw that I was ten minutes early and I figured she wouldn’t be here yet so I would have time to grab my coffee and something to eat. But as I look up from my phone I saw the blonde standing in front of me, in line at the counter with her back to me. Before I even knew what I was doing my feet were carrying me to her side in the line. Her eyes were trained on the phone in her hands scrolling through, what looked like, a tumblr feed. It didn’t take me a second before my eyes were tracing her outfit. She was wearing black leggings, that hugged her legs and ass just right and a white and black striped fuzzy sweater, that looked like it was made to be a little too big as it hung off her shoulder. My admiration of her body was cut short as she dropped her hands back to her sides before her eyes lifted to find mine. Her lips curled up in a smile just before she spoke. 

“Well good morning.” She says as we take a step forward placing us next in line at the counter. “Have you been here long? You should’ve said something so that I knew you were here.” she finished just before we were called up to the counter. We placed our orders before I could respond, but as I went to pay she swatted my hand away before telling the girl named harper that I was with her. I shot Clarke a puzzled look before she handed me my muffin and coffee. “I work here, the troubles of a struggling artist.”

“I thought you said you were in medical school.” I asked puzzled at the comment about being a struggling artist, because during our conversation I remember her mentioning how she hated the workload and the stress. 

“More like was. I dropped out and started to study Art, because unlike medicine, art makes me happy.” She finishes as we sit down at a table by the window. I almost pressed her about it but I could tell from her voice that it was a sensitive topic so I decide to drop it all together. The rest of the morning the conversation moves easy throughout the morning not getting into anything too heavy, until we had a strange silence we had just gotten done debating 80’s movies before the conversation came to a halt. Clarke was the one to break the silence.

“So… where Aden’s father.” The question was harmless but it still hurt a little bit to think about Costia even after five years it was still a sore subject. 

“He doesn’t really have one.” I barely get out as I play with the wrapper on the cup in front of me trying to not look the blonde across for me in the eyes. “My wife wanted a son so badly so we adopted him from a teen mom who said that she wasn’t ready to have a child.” I could see the visible disappointment at the mention of my wife.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were married.” Now it was her that kept her gaze away and fiddled with her respective cup. “I’m gonna head out. I, uh have something to do later.” I could tell that she is upset about the whole thing and I really didn’t want her to leave. 

“She’s not around anymore.” I blurt out without even thinking. “She’s the friend I told you about, who died from cancer.” clarke stopped gathering her stuff for a second and looked up to see if I was telling the truth. 

“Oh I’m sorry.” Her eyes conveyed the legitimate apology she made. They were so blue so deep I could get lost in them for days. 

“It’s okay it was a while ago it doesn’t hurt as much now. Especially when i’m on a hot date.” I add the last part trying to lighten the mood. “So now that we’ve got that out of the way let’s try and stay away from the sad stuff. What do you say?” Her eyes perk up as I finish my sentence and I get a tingly feeling in my stomach as we talk.

\------------

As we are getting ready to leave I look down at my phone to see that it is almost noon. So we finish what is now our fourth or fifth coffee but before we can leave a greasy looking man boy thing walks over to the table, he’s wearing a polo that has the logo for the coffee shop on the left breast and a green apron.

“Hey Clarke!” He says way to flirtatiously for my taste. As I glance at the blonde and notice that she is just as uncomfortable around this guy as I am right now.

“What do you need Finn?” Her voice was cold, low and agitated, but her eyes refused to meet his, which was probably a good thing because his eyes wouldn’t have met hers anyway they were too busy raking up and down her body.

“I was just wondering if you would want to go…” But before he could finish his question she had cut him off.

“No Finn. Just like every week, I don’t want to go out with you.” She started to stand up and leave, so I did the same. Her eyes were still hanging low and her voice was still agitated. When we made our way out of the shop Clarke finally lifted her eyes back up  to mine. 

“Thanks for the morning. Sorry it had to end like that, he’s just a perv who can never take no for an answer.” She smiled again as we walked down the street towards the apartments. The rest of the walk was quiet until we stepped out of the elevator and I unknowingly broke the silence. 

“I had fun this morning.” My words were slow but hopeful that I would get a similar response from the blonde.

“Me too.” Yes! Now just ask. Suck it up and ask. We were getting really close to her apartment so at the last moment I blurted it out. 

Would you like to go out with me some time?” Well way to be subtle. “I mean like dinner or a real date or…” 

“God yes! I would love to.” 


End file.
